Unexploded WWII bomb sparks evacuation in London’s Soho

Police stand outside the Palace Theatre in the Soho area of London after what’s thought to be an unexploded World War II bomb was dug up at a construction site Monday Feb. 3, 2020. An area covering several blocs of the tightly packed neighborhood was cordoned off while police assessed the device. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

LONDON (AP) — Police cordoned off one of the busiest areas of central London on Monday after what’s thought to be an unexploded World War II bomb was dug up at a construction site.

The Metropolitan Police force said “suspected World War II ordnance” was uncovered in Dean Street in Soho, an area packed with shops, restaurants, bars and offices.

An area covering several blocks of the tightly packed neighborhood was cordoned off while police assessed the device.

The German air force dropped thousands of bombs on the British capital during the war, killing tens of thousands of people. Bombs left over from the conflict are still occasionally uncovered during construction work.

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